Aircraft with a plurality of upper and lower cabins functioning as cargo compartments or passenger cabins and method of loading cargos for aircraft

ABSTRACT

The aircraft with multi-level cabins functioning as a cargo cabin or passenger cabin comprises a first cabin provided with a cargo hatchway which is opened and closed by a cargo door on a fuselage, the cargo door facing towards the cargo cabin; a second cabin which lacks the cargo hatchway, the second cabin being positioned directly above or under the first cabin; and an elevator to convey a cargo item, moved into the first cabin through the cargo hatchway, to the second cabin, and to convey back the conveyed cargo item from the second cabin to the first cabin, thereby the cargo item is moved between the exterior of the aircraft and the second cabin.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an airplane with multi-level cabins for cargosor passengers in its fuselage, into which it is easier to load cargos,and a method of loading cargos into those cabins.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

FIG. 25 is a simplified perspective drawing of the cargo cabin intowhich cargo is loaded in an airplane. FIG. 26 is a lateral cross section(taken perpendicular to the length of the plane) of the cargo cabin. InFIG. 25, 1 is a fuselage of the aircraft; 2 are main wings; and 3 aretail wings.

As can be seen in FIG. 26, this sort of cargo cabin is divided into anupper cargo cabin 10 and a lower cargo cabin 11 by a partition 14 whichruns along the length of the fuselage. The upper and lower cargo cabins10 and 11 have cargo hatchways 023 and 23, respectively, which areopened and closed by cargo doors 012 and 12. Normally, as can be seen inFIG. 25, the cargo cabin has one cargo hatchway 023 in either the foreor aft section of the craft and two cargo batchways 23, one in the foresection and the other in the aft section.

Cargo door 12 and cargo hatchways 23 are normally used to load cargobelonging to passengers and cargo for commercial transportation.

To load cargo item 13 into such a cargo cabin, it is first transportedthrough hatchway 023 into the upper cargo cabin 10. A conveyor (notpictured) which extends along the entire length of the upper cabin floor28 moves the cargo item to its designated location in upper cargo cabin10. A cargo item is also transported through hatchway 23 into the lowercargo cabin 11 and transported by a conveyor (not pictured) runningalong the length of the lower cabin floor 19 to its designated spot inlower cabin 11. When the cargo is to be unloaded, the reverse operationis performed.

As is explained above, the prior art cargo cabin has an upper cargocabin 10 and a lower cargo cabin 11, each of which has a cargo hatchway(023 and 23) opened and closed by a cargo door (012 and 12). Cargo isloaded and unloaded through these cargo hatchways.

However, the cargo doors (012 and 12) which close the cargo hatchways(023 and 23) must be of the same thickness and made of the same materialas fuselage 1 so that they have the same strength as the fuselage havingno cut for hatchways. The doors must therefore be extremely massive.Moreover, since there are large pressure and temperature differentialsbetween the inside and the outside of the aircraft, the areas betweenthe doors (012 and 12) and the cargo hatchways (023 and 23) must berigorously sealed. Thus, installing a cargo door (012 or 12) to close ahatchway (023 or 23) requires numerous assembly processes and costlymaterials.

The prior art technology shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, then, requires thatthe sort of cargo hatch doors described above (012 and 12), which entailnumerous assembly processes and costly materials, be installed on thecargo hatchways (023 and 23) of the upper cargo cabin 10 and lower cargocabin 11. This drives up the cost of the aircraft, or, in the case of apassenger aircraft which is being converted into a cargo aircraft,increases the number of processes required and the cost of remodelingthe plane.

The present inventors' investigation of the prior art has not turned upany technology concerning the relationship between the cargo doors (012and 12) and cargo cabins 10 and 11.

FIG. 24 is a partial cross plain section of an aircraft according to theprior art. The galley service spaces 505, 506 are provided at the foresection of fuselage 500, in which the flight attendants prepare thedrink service for the passengers seated ahead of main wing 525. Anothergalley service space 507 is provided at the aft section. Since the drinkservice is offered after the aircraft takes off, the drink will beconsumed before the arrival at the destination. It is necessary,therefore, to exchange the new wagons loaded with drinks during the timethat the aircraft is parking at the destination airport. The new sets ofwagons provided from gailey service car 503 must be carried into theaircraft via the emergency door provided on the same floor as thepassenger cabin floor.

It is, however, not possible to exchange to the new sets of wagonsduring the time that the passengers are deplaning from the aircraft, andit is possible only after the deplaning of the passengers is completed.This drives the parking period of the aircraft longer, and makes itdifficult to schedule many flights in a limited time length. This factalso makes the passenger's waiting time longer, and causes damages forthe profitability of the airline companies for the convenience of thepassengers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the technical problems described, the objective of thisinvention is to provide a device and method to load cargo into anaircraft of the sort with multi-level cargo or passenger cabins in thefuselage. Such a device would, without diminishing the capacity to loador unload cargo on either level, reduce the number of cargo hatchwaysand doors through which cargo would be loaded and unloaded and furtherreduce the cost of the aircraft. If a passenger aircraft is beingremodeled into a cargo aircraft, it will obviate the need to provideadditional hatchways and doors beyond the hatchways and doors the craftoriginally came with, and it will greatly reduce the number of processesrequired and the cost of revamping the craft.

Since the beverage and food service is offered after the aircraft takesoff, the beverages will be consumed before the arrival at thedestination. It is necessary, therefore, to exchange the new beveragewagons loaded with the drinks during the time that the aircraft isparked at the destination airport.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a device and method toload the new set of beverage and food wagons, as mentioned above, intothe aircraft without the necessity of moving the new set of wagons onthe same floor as the passenger floor. According to this invention, theloading of the new set of wagons can be processed during the time thatthe passengers are deplaning from the aircraft. It can shorten theparking time of the aircraft on the ground, and make it possible toschedule more flights in a limited time. This can result in shorteningthe waiting time for the passengers, and result in improving theprofitability of the airline companies and convenience of the passenger.

According to this invention, the aircraft is provided with multi-levelcabins functioning as a cargo cabin or passenger cabin. It isdistinguished by the configuration which comprises, a first cabinprovided with a cargo hatchway which is opened and closed by a cargodoor on a fuselage, the cargo door facing towards the cargo cabin; asecond cabin which lacks the cargo hatchway, the second cabin beingpositioned directly above or under the first cabin; and an elevator toconvey a cargo item, moved into the first cabin through the cargohatchway, to the second cabin, and to convey back the conveyed cargoitem from the second cabin to the first cabin, thereby the cargo item ismoved between the exterior of the aircraft and the second cabin.

It is, therefore, possible in this aircraft according to this invention,to move the cargo items into and from the aircraft through the existingcargo hatchway (hatchway used only for cargos). Since the elevator canmove the cargo items between the first cabin provided with a cargohatchway which is opened and closed by a cargo door on a fuselage, andthe second cabin which lacks the cargo hatchway, it obviates the need toprovide a new cargo hatchway which lowers the strength of the fuselage.The number of cargo hatchways and doors can be reduced without affectingthe ability to load and unload cargo on every level. This arrangementlowers the cost of the aircraft.

When a passenger aircraft is being converted to a cargo aircraft, thisarrangement makes it unnecessary to add on any new hatchways and doorsbeyond what the plane originally had. This significantly reduces boththe number of processes required to remodel the plane and the cost ofremodeling it.

According to this invention, it is possible to move up the cargo intothe cabin for the passengers by the elevator, and move down the cargofrom the passenger cabin to the cargo cabin which has the cargohatchway. This makes it possible to move the cargo without using thepassenger floor when they are boarding or deplaning.

The first cabin provided with the cargo hatchway is located in a lowercargo cabin on a lower portion of the aircraft, and the elevator toconvey the cargo items between the first cabin and the second cabinlocated above the first cabin is located near the cargo hatchway.

If the aircraft has three vertical levels of cabins which comprise alower cargo cabin, a central cargo cabin, and an upper cargo cabin, thelower and central cargo cabins are configured as the first cabin whichis provided with the cargo hatchway, the upper cargo cabin is configuredas the second cabin which lacks the cargo hatchway, and the elevatorconveys the cargo items between the first and second cabins.

More specifically, this invention would provide a cargo hatchway closedby a door only on the lower level cargo cabin. Thus, cargo could beloaded onto the plane through the cargo hatchway and then transportedvertically by means of an elevator from the hatchway on the lower levelto the upper level cargo cabin. This would obviate the need to providehatchways with doors on them, as was done in the prior art, on both theupper and lower cargo cabins. The cargo to be stowed in both the lowerand upper cargo cabins could be loaded through a single cargo hatchwayand unloaded through the same hatchway.

This invention reduces the height above the ground at which cargo isloaded onto the plane. This lowers the cost of the cargo loader andenhances the safety of the personnel who are loading the cargo.

With this invention, then, an aircraft can have a single door or aminimum number of doors to open and close cargo hatchways. These doorsmust be the same thickness and made of the same material as thefuselage, so they are extremely massive. They must also be rigorouslysealed. Reducing the number of doors thus reduces the number of assemblyprocesses required to produce the aircraft and significantly reduces itscost.

When a passenger aircraft is converted to a cargo aircraft, the existingcargo hatchway and door on the lower cargo cabin can be used. Anelevator can be provided near the hatchway or elsewhere in the cabin onthe lower level, and the cargo loaded through the existing cargohatchway can be moved vertically by means of the elevator. It can thusbe easily transported to the upper cargo cabin, so there is no need toprovide an additional hatchway with a door. This reduces both the numberof processes required to remodel the plane and the cost.

The aircraft according to this invention has a multi-level cargo cabin.The horizontal conveyor should also be provided in each of the cargocabins which communicates with the elevator so as to receive or loadcargo. Such a conveyor would receive the cargo moved by the elevator andconvey it horizontally into the cabin on that level.

If the cargo cabins are large, cargo hatchways can be provided inseveral locations on the cargo cabin wall, and an elevator can beprovided near each of the hatchways. If this configuration is chosen,cargo can be loaded and unloaded through a number of hatchways along thelength of the fuselage. This will improve the efficiency of the loadingoperation.

The elevator can comprise a cargo stage for loading the cargo item; anexpansion link connected to the bottom of the cargo stage which canexpand vertically; and an actuator to expand or contract the expansionlink so as to move the cargo stage up or down. Alternatively, theelevator can comprise a cargo stage for loading the cargo item; aplurality of ropes connected to the cargo stage and a plurality ofpulleys from which the rope is hung, which raise and lower the cargostage; and a drive mechanism connected to the ropes, which raises andlowers the cargo stage by winding up or letting out the ropes.

If the latter configuration is chosen, a rope is connected to the stageon which the cargo is loaded, and the rope is connected via a pulley toa drive mechanism. The drive mechanism takes up or lets out the rope toraise or lower the loading stage. This configuration allows the stage tobe raised easily to a considerable height, so it would obviate the needfor a cargo hatchway on each level even if an air cargo plane had threeor more levels. It would minimize the number of hatchways and doors, andwould further reduce the number of assembly processes required to buildthe plane as well as its cost.

The invention could also be effectively realized by the followingconfiguration. The cargo cabin is divided by a plurality of horizontalpartitions, and the elevator comprises a driving device to drive theelevator and a gear to be driven by the driving device; and a guiderail, and racks provided on the guide rail and interlocked with thegears, which are stored in the partition and come out in a verticaldirection before the elevator is activated.

With the technology described above, a drive source and gears connectedto the drive source are provided on the elevator. The cargo cabin isdivided by partitions. In the walls of the partitions is a guidemechanism which guides the movement of the elevator and racksinterlocked with the gears. Before the elevator is driven, the mechanismwhich guides the elevator and the hardware related to moving the gearsand the interlocked racks move into the area traveled by the elevator.When the elevator is not being driven, the hardware related to itsmovement is stored in the partition walls rather than remaining in thecargo cabin. This enhances the safety of any personnel working in thearea.

The invention could also be effectively realized by the followingconfiguration. The galley service space is provided in the second cabinused as a passenger cabin, and the elevator conveys a wagon containerfilled with wagon cargos between the galley service space and the firstcabin, so that the wagon cargos are moved in and out from the wagoncontainer in the galley service space, and the wagon container isconveyed between the exterior of the aircraft and the galley servicespace.

With the technology described above, the configuration makes it possibleto move the wagons through the cargo hatchway provided in the cargocabin. It can move the wagons to the galley service space in the secondcabin by the elevator. It is no longer necessary to move the wagons onthe passenger floor as in the prior art. It is, thus, possible todeliver the wagons during the time that the passengers are getting offthe aircraft. It is, therefore, no longer necessary to exchange the newand old wagons after the passengers leave the aircraft as a conventionalway, and it can be processed during the time passengers are getting offthe aircraft. This can shorten the parking time of the aircraft, andmore flights can be scheduled in the same length of time. This canshorten the waiting time of the passengers, and also improve theprofitability of the airlines and convenience of the passengers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a lateral view of the main components of a cargo loadingdevice to load cargos into a cargo plane which is the first preferredembodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along line A—A in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3(a) is a perspective drawing of the elevator.

FIG. 3(b) is a cross section taken along line C—C shown in FIG. 3(a).

FIG. 4 shows the second embodiment which corresponds to the cargoloading device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross section showing the main components along thelongitudinal axis of the plane of the third preferred embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross section taken along line B—B shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a rough perspective drawing of an aircraft to transport aircargo, which is related to the fourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a cross section taken along line D—D shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a first perspective drawing of an elevator related to thefourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a second perspective drawing of an elevator related to thefourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a third perspective drawing of an elevator related to thefourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a fourth perspective drawing of an elevator related to thefourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a fifth perspective drawing of an elevator related to thefourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an illustration to explain the mechanism to open and closethe retractable floor according to the fourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 15 is an illustration to explain the connecting member provided atthe bottom of the guide rail according to the fourth preferredembodiment.

FIG. 16 is an illustration to explain how to store the guide railaccording to the fourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 17 is an illustration to explain the main components of the guiderail according to the fourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 18 is an illustration to explain how to store and descend the guiderail according to the fourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a first illustration to explain the driving method for theelevator according to the fourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a second illustration to explain the driving method for theelevator according to the fourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a third illustration to explain the driving method for theelevator according to the fourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a rough cross section of the aircraft according to the fifthpreferred embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a perspective drawing of the elevator according to the fifthpreferred embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a partial cross plain section of an aircraft according to theprior art.

FIG. 25 is a rough perspective drawing of a cargo aircraft according tothe prior art.

FIG. 26 is a cross section of a cargo aircraft according to the priorart.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In this section we shall explain several preferred embodiments of thisinvention with reference to the appended drawings. Whenever the size,materials, shapes, relative positions and other aspects of the partsdescribed in the embodiments are not clearly defined, the scope of theinvention is not limited only to the parts shown, which are meant merelyfor the purpose of illustration.

FIG. 1 is a lateral view of the main components of a cargo loadingdevice to load cargos into a cargo plane which is the first preferredembodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along lineA—A in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective drawing of the elevator. FIG. 4shows the second embodiment in an illustration which corresponds to thatshown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a cross section showing the main componentsalong the longitudinal axis of the plane of the third preferredembodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross section taken along line B—B shown in FIG.5.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, which show the first embodiment of this invention, 1is a fuselage. The interior of the fuselage 1 is divided into an uppercargo cabin 10 and a lower cargo cabin 11 by a partition 14 which runsalong the length of the plane. 23 is a lower cargo hatchway into thelower cargo cabin 11. 12 is a cargo door which closes the lower cargohatchway 23. As can be seen in FIG. 1, only one lower cargo hatchway 23and cargo door 12 are provided on the forward section of the plane.

24 is a hatch provided in one location (or, as will be discussedshortly, in two or more locations) in the partition 14. This hatchallows the lower cargo cabin 11 and upper cargo cabin 10 to communicatein one, or as will be discussed shortly, two or more locations. Belowthe hatch 24 is an elevator 15. The elevator 15 transports cargo item13, which has been loaded into the lower cargo cabin 11, vertically upto upper cargo cabin 10. We shall explain this elevator in detailshortly.

17 is a lower cabin conveyor which runs along the length of the fuselageon lower cabin floor 19 of the lower cargo cabin 11. It is adjacent tothe lower cargo hatchway 23 on the lower level. The front end of theconveyor is adjacent to the elevator 15 so that the cargo 13 conveyedfrom lower cargo hatchway 23 can be deposited on elevator 15.

16 is a upper cabin conveyor which runs along the length of the fuselageon upper cabin floor 28 of the upper cargo cabin 10. The front end ofthe upper cabin conveyor is adjacent to hatch 24, the opening for theelevator 15. The upper cabin conveyor 16 receives cargo 13 conveyed byelevator 15 and transports it into the interior of upper cargo cabin 10.

In FIGS. 3(a) and (b), which show the first example of the elevator 15,152 is a cargo stage on which cargo is loaded. 153 and 153 are two pairsof cross-links. Each pair of cross-links has a pin 155 fastening thecenters of the two links in such a way that they are free to rotate andslide.

The upper ends of the cross-links 153 are fixed to the lateral surfaces252 of the cargo stage 152 by pins 154 in such a way that they are freeto rotate.

The lower ends of the cross-links 153 are attached to rollers 255 bypins 154 in such a way that they are free to rotate. Rollers 255 run onrails 260, which are oriented either lengthwise or crosswise on floor262 of the lower cargo cabin 11. They allow the elevator 15 to movelengthwise in lower cargo cabin 11.

As can be seen in FIG. 3(b), pins 154 are inserted through holes 153 aon the tops of the cross-links 153 in such a way that they can move andslide. Rollers 161 engage with the bases of the pins 154 in such a waythat they are free to rotate. The rollers 161 roll in tracks 160, whichrun parallel to the rails 260 on either side of the cargo stage 152.When hydraulic cylinder 151, which will be discussed shortly, expandsand contracts, the cargo stage 152 moves up and down, and the rollers161 run along track 160. 162 and 163 are snap rings to prevent therollers from leaving the tracks.

156 are cross bars. They are connected to the lower ends of thecross-links 153 by pins 157 in such a way that they are free to rotateand move. They connect the bottoms of the cross-links 153. 151 is ahydraulic cylinder. It connects the cross bars 156 in such a way that itcan expand or contract. On the bottom of the case of the hydrauliccylinder 151 is a fixing means of fixing the cylinder to the floor whenelevator 15 is in use. This fixing means may be a magnet, a suction cupor a bolt. A pneumatic cylinder or an electric actuator may be usedinstead of the hydraulic cylinder 151.

In the first embodiment, when cargo item 13 is loaded into the plane,the cargo item 13 is transported, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 2, fromlower cargo hatchway 23 onto lower cabin conveyor 17 in the lower cargocabin. The lower cabin conveyor 17 is driven, and the cargo item moveshorizontally as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1 until it reaches thelocation of the elevator 15.

To lower the elevator 15 at this time, hydraulic cylinder 151 isexpanded, and the cross-links 153 fold in, thus moving the cargo stage152 downward. The upper surface of the cargo stage 152 is thuspositioned at the same height as the lower cabin conveyor 17. Thisallows the cargo item 13 on the lower cabin conveyor 17 to be loadedeasily onto the cargo stage 152.

When the hydraulic cylinder 151 contracts, the cross-links 153 extendupward, the cargo stage 152 is raised, and the upper surface of thecargo stage 152 stops at the same height as the upper cabin conveyor 16in the upper cargo cabin. The cargo item 13 on the cargo stage 152 canthus be easily loaded, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1, onto theupper cabin conveyor 16 in the upper cargo cabin.

The elevator 15 can move along the length of lower cargo cabin 11 alongthe rails 260.

When the cargo item 13 which is conveyed from the cargo hatchway 23 ontothe edge of lower cabin conveyor 17 in the lower cargo cabin is to bemoved into the lower cargo cabin, the lower cabin conveyor 17 on whichit is sitting is driven to move cargo item 13 horizontally to itsdesignated position.

With this embodiment, a cargo hatchway (lower cargo hatchway 23) isprovided only in lower cargo cabin 11 on the lower portion of fuselage1. Cargo item 13 is transported from the cargo hatchway 23 into theplane and then up to the upper cargo cabin (upper cargo cabin 10) by thevertical movement of elevator 15. This arrangement obviates the need fora cargo hatch with a cargo door in both lower and upper cargo cabins 11and 10, as was the case in the prior art. Cargo items 13 to betransported in both lower cargo cabin 11 and upper cargo cabin 10 can beloaded and unloaded via a single cargo hatchway 23 and cargo door 12.

With this embodiment, then, the aircraft needs only a single or aminimum number of cargo doors 12 to close cargo hatchways 23. Sincethese doors must be of an identical thickness with fuselage 1 andconstructed of the same materials, they are extremely massive; and theymust be rigorously sealed. Reducing the number of doors thussignificantly reduces both the number of assembly processes required toconstruct the aircraft and the cost of the required materials.

When a passenger aircraft is converted to a cargo aircraft, the existingcargo hatchway and door into lower cargo cabin 11 can be used. Theelevator 15 can be installed near the hatchway, and the cargo itemloaded through the existing cargo hatchway can be moved vertically bymeans of the elevator 15. It can thus be easily transported to uppercargo cabin 10, so there is no need to provide an additional hatchwaywith a door. This reduces both the number of processes required toremodel the plane and the cost.

We shall next discuss the second preferred embodiment of this invention,which is pictured in FIG. 4. This embodiment differs from the first inthat instead of having a single elevator 15 in the forward section ofthe aircraft, it has elevators 15 in both the forward and aft sectionsof the aircraft. As can be seen in FIG. 4, there are cargo hatchways 23and cargo doors 12 in two locations, forward and aft, on lower cargocabin 11. There is an elevator 15 adjacent to each of the cargohatchways 23 and cargo doors 12. Between the two aforesaid elevators 15in both lower cargo cabin 11 and upper cargo cabin 10 are conveyors 16in the upper cabin and 17 in the lower cabin.

If this configuration is chosen, cargo items 13 can be loaded andunloaded through two hatchways 23 in the fore and aft sections of theplane. This will improve the efficiency of the loading operation. Allother aspects of the configuration are identical to those of the firstembodiment.

We shall next discuss the third preferred embodiment of this invention,with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. This embodiment differs from the firstand second embodiments in regard to the elevator. Rather than beingdriven by cross-links and a hydraulic mechanism, as in the first andsecond embodiments, the elevator in the third embodiment is driven by amotor and a rope.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, a central cargo cabin 21 is created by horizontalpartitions 14, 14 between lower cabin 11 and upper cabin 10. 20 is aelevator which travels between lower, central, upper cargo cabins 11, 21and 10. It is constructed as follows.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, 201 is the cargo stage on which cargo item 13 isloaded. In four locations on its edges (or five or more, if desired) arepulleys 202, which are mounted in such a way that they can rotate. Onpulleys 202 are hung ropes 204 and 205 (or more ropes, as long as thenumber is even), which move up and down through hatches 24 and 25 cutinto horizontal partitions 14.

203 are pulleys which are mounted in four places on the ceiling of theupper cargo cabin 10 in such a way that they are free to rotate. Thesepulleys are mounted opposite pulleys 202 on the cargo stage 201. Theropes 204 and 205 are hung from the pulleys 202. 206 are the twoelevators provided in the fore and aft sections of the fuselage. Theends of ropes 204 and 205, which are hung on the pulleys 203, are coiledup by means of an electric motor or the like. When the ropes 204 and 205are wound up or let out, the cargo stage 201 is raised or lowered in theplane.

In this embodiment, in addition to lower cargo hatchway 23 and lowercargo door 12 on the lower cargo cabin 11, there is a central cargohatchway 22 and a central cargo door on the center level, in the centralcargo cabin 21. However, the central cargo hatchway 22 and central cargodoor could be eliminated.

In this embodiment, when ropes 204 and 205 are let out from the elevatormechanisms 206, 206, the cargo stage 201 drops to its lowest position.The cargo item 13 which is loaded into lower cargo cabin 11 throughlower cargo hatchway 23 is placed on the stage 201

When ropes 204 and 205 are wound up by the elevator mechanisms 206, 206,cargo stage 201, with cargo item 13 on it, is raised as shown by thearrows in FIG. 6. When the cargo stage 201 reaches the central cabinfloor 26 of central cargo cabin 21, cargo item 13 is moved onto centralcabin conveyor 18 on central cabin floor 26 and transported to itsdesignated location. When the cargo stage 201 reaches the upper cabinfloor 28 of upper cargo cabin 11, cargo item 13 is moved onto upperconveyor 16 on upper cabin floor 28 and transported to its designatedlocation.

A cargo item 13 loaded into central cargo cabin 21 via the central cargohatchway 22 can be placed on the cargo stage 201 and transported in justthe same manner.

With this embodiment, ropes 204 and 205 are connected to the cargo stage201 on which is placed cargo item 13. The ropes 204 and 205 areconnected via pulleys 202 and 203 to elevator mechanisms 206, which, bywinding them up or letting them out, causes the cargo stage 201 to beraised or lowered. This configuration allows the cargo stage to attain aconsiderable vertical height with ease, so that it can service not justthree levels of cargo cabins, as in this embodiment, but four or more,thus obviating the need for a cargo hatchway on each level. Thisminimizes the number of cargo hatchways and doors required, which inturn further reduces both the number of assembly processes needed toconstruct the aircraft and the cost of materials.

In any of the embodiments, the cargo is unloaded from the plane usingthe reverse operation from that described above.

With an embodiment like that described above, a cargo item is loadedinto the upper cargo cabin from the lower cargo hatchway on the lowerlevel by means of an elevator. Thus, there is no need for cargohatchways closed by doors on both the upper and lower cargo cabins, aswas the case in the prior art. Cargo to be carried in both the lower andupper cabins can be loaded and unloaded through a single cargo hatchway.

With this invention, then, an aircraft can have a single door or aminimum number of doors to open and close cargo hatchways. These doorsmust be the same thickness and made of the same material as thefuselage, so they are extremely massive. They must also be rigorouslysealed. Reducing the number of doors thus reduces the number of assemblyprocesses required to produce the aircraft and significantly reduces itscost.

When a passenger aircraft is converted to a cargo aircraft, the existingcargo hatchway and door into the lower cargo cabin can be used. Theelevator can be provided near the hatchway, and the cargo loaded throughthe existing cargo hatchway can be moved vertically by means of theelevator. It can thus be easily transported to the upper cargo cabin, sothere is no need to provide an additional hatchway with a door. Thisreduces both the number of processes required to remodel the plane andthe cost.

With this embodiment, then, the number of cargo hatchways and doors canbe reduced without adversely affecting the ability to load and unloadcargo into and out of any of the cargo cabins. This reduces the cost ofthe plane, or, if a passenger plane is being converted to a cargo plane,it reduces the number of processes required and the cost.

If several cargo hatchways are provided along the length of theaircraft, cargo can then be loaded and unloaded through all of them,resulting in a more efficient cargo loading operation.

If ropes are connected to the cargo stage on which the cargo is placedand the ropes are connected through pulleys to a drive mechanism, thedrive mechanism can wind or let out the rope to cause the cargo stage tobe raised or lowered. This configuration allows the stage to attain aconsiderable vertical height with ease, so that a cargo hatchway neednot be provided on each level, even if a plane has three or more cargocabins. This configuration minimizes the number of cargo hatchways anddoors required, which in turn further reduces both the number ofassembly processes needed to construct the aircraft and the cost ofmaterials. Furthermore, the highest level of cargo cabins in a cargoairplane with three levels will generally be about 10 meters off theground. If the cargo is loaded into the middle level cargo cabin fromthe exterior and then transferred to the upper level by elevator, thesafety of the workers doing the loading will be enhanced.

We shall next discuss the fourth preferred embodiment. FIG. 7 is a roughperspective drawing of an aircraft to transport air cargo, which isrelated to the fourth preferred embodiment. This embodiment differs fromthe first through third embodiments as follows. The first and secondembodiments have an elevator which comprises a cargo stage, cross-linksand a hydraulic mechanism. The third embodiment's elevator uses a motorand ropes. The fourth embodiment's elevator has a guide rail, racks, andgears which engage with the racks.

In FIG. 7, there is a central cargo hatchway 322 in the aft section offuselage 301. A cargo door 312 which can open and close is placed on thecentral cargo hatchway 322. There is a lower horizontal partition 347inside the plane. A lower cargo conveyor 318 on the partition conveyscontainers 313, which have been loaded via central cargo hatchway 322,to the fore section of the plane. Above lower horizontal partition 347in the forward part of the plane is an upper horizontal partition 348,which creates cargo cabin 310. At the forward end of the upperhorizontal partition 348 are elevator 315 and a conveyor, which is notpictured. The containers 313 which have been transported on the conveyorare placed on upper cabin floor 328 of upper horizontal partition 348.

FIG. 8(a) shows how the elevator 315 looks when containers 313 arestowed in upper cargo cabin 310 and the plane is in flight. FIG. 8(b)shows how the elevator is positioned when containers 313 are to beloaded into cargo cabin 310 or unloaded from it. On the floor ofelevator 315, there is a drive source 303 with a motor, as will beexplained in detail shortly, to enable it to move vertically.

When containers 313 are to be transported from upper cargo cabin 310 tocentral cargo cabin 321, as is shown in FIG. 8(b), retractable floor 305opens up. Guide rails 304, which are stored in upper horizontalpartition 348, come out, and their forward ends lock into lowerhorizontal partition 347 in a manner which will be explained shortly.Racks which are attached to guide rail 304 and gears which are notpictured engage, and elevator 315 descends. FIG. 8(c) shows the elevatoronce it has landed on the level of central cargo cabin 321.

FIG. 9 is a perspective drawing of an elevator related to the fourthpreferred embodiment. In this figure, there is a square opening 328 a inthe upper cabin floor 328 of upper horizontal partition 348. Elevator315 goes through the opening 328 a.

The mechanism which raises and lowers elevator 315 is located around theedges of opening 328 a. One support rod 314 is held in such a way thatit can rotate by support members 308 a, 309, 309 and 308 b. The othersupport rod 314 is held in such a way that it can rotate by supportmembers 308 c, 309, 309 and 308 d. In the centers of rods 309 areactuators 338 (See FIG. 18), which will be discussed shortly. Thesupport rods 314 face each other on opposite sides of opening 328 a.

Four rack heads 334 a are hung on the support rods 314 in locationswhich correspond to the corners of opening 328 a. The support rods 314engage in the openings of rack heads 334 a in such a way that they arefree to rotate.

Elevator 315 is placed in the opening 328 a. On three edges of its floor315 a are two walls 315 b and one wall 315 c. Gear supports 323, 323 arebehind walls 315 b. Gear shafts 316 (See FIG. 17) engage in the ends 323a of the gear supports 323 in such a way that they are free to rotate.Sprockets 319 are fixed to one end of the gear shafts 316. Elevatorgears 317 are fixed to the shafts parallel to the sprockets 319. Motor306 and reduction gear unit 307 (see FIG. 21) are behind wall 315 c, aswill be discussed shortly. The drive force of motor 306 is transmittedfrom the output gear (not pictured) of gear unit 307 by means of chain320, which is tensioned on sprockets 319, to the sprockets, and then toelevator gears 317. When elevator gears 317 rotate, they engage withracks which is not shown in the drawing, causing the elevator todescend.

FIG. 10 shows the appearance of retractable floor 305 on central cabinfloor 326 of central cargo cabin 321 (See FIG. 8) when it is opened sothat elevator 315 can descend. FIG. 11 shows the appearance of thecentral cargo cabin after retractable floor 305 has been opened and theupper ends of guide rails 304, which are stored below elevator 315, haverotated downward so that they can lock into lower horizontal partition347, which forms the central cabin floor 326 of central cargo cabin 321(See FIG. 8). Once the guide rails are in place, elevator 315 candescend to central cabin floor 326 of central cargo cabin 321 (See FIG.8).

FIG. 12 shows the appearance of the elevator when containers 313 areplaced on central cabin floor 326 of central cargo cabin 321 (See FIG.8). In this state, as is shown in FIG. 13, containers 313 are carried toupper cargo cabin 310 (See FIG. 8).

We shall next explain the details of each mechanical component. FIG. 14is a close-up view of portion C in FIG. 8(b). It shows the base ofretractable floor 305, which is placed on central cabin floor 326 ofcentral cargo cabin 321 (See FIG. 8) in such a way that it can open andclose. In FIG. 14, hinges 329 are attached to central cabin floor 326.One end of stage 325, to which retractable floor 305 is mounted, isfixed to the movable portions of the hinges 329. Connecting unit 324 isattached to the stage 325. Lever 330 is mounted below central cabinfloor 326 in such a way that it is free to rotate around shaft 330 a. Aconnector panel, which is not pictured, is placed between opening 330 bon the end of the lever 330 and opening 324 a in the connector unit 324.A motor, which is not shown, is connected to shaft 330 a of lever 330.

Because the mechanism to open and close retractable floor 305 isconstructed in this way, when lever 330 is in the position indicated bysolid lines, retractable floor 305 will be parallel to central cabinfloor 326, and the opening through which elevator 315 travels will besealed. When lever 330 rotates clockwise until it reaches the positionindicated by dotted lines, retractable floor 305 will open up to createa passageway for elevator 315.

FIG. 15 is a close-up view of portion C in FIG. 8(b). After retractablefloor 305 opens up, the ends of guide rails 304 lock into lowerhorizontal partition 347, which forms central cabin floor 326 in centralcargo cabin 321 (See FIG. 8). Snap rings 332 are mounted on the lowerhorizontal partition 347 in such a way that they can rotate. Pins 304 ago into the lower ends of guide rails 304. The pins 304 a, which haverotated from the upper left hand portion of FIG. 15, are complemented bysnap rings 332. At this time a mechanism which is not shown rotates snaprings 332 90° either electrically or mechanically to a position in whichthey are locked.

When motor 306 shown in FIG. 21 causes elevator gears 317, which engageswith racks 331, to rotate, elevator 315 descends to the position shownin the drawing.

FIG. 16 is a close-up view of portion D in FIG. 8(b). It illustrates howguide rails 304 and racks 331 appear both when stored and deployed.Support arm 333, which is fixed to support rod 314, has a small opening333 a in its end. Connector end 334 b on the lower end of rack 334,which is suspended from rack head 334 a, has a hole 334 c in it.Connector end 336, which rotates around the hole 334 c, is mounted insuch a way that it is free to rotate. The connector end 336 is fixed tothe end of guide rail 304, which has racks 331.

The connector end 336 has a hole 336 a in it. Connecting rod 335, whichhas pins that go through the hole 336 a and hole 333 a on the end of thesupport arm 333 in such a way that they can rotate, is placed betweenthe two holes.

As can be seen in FIG. 18, one end of actuator 338 is supported in sucha way that it can rotate on mount 339 between support rod receives 309,309. On the other end of the actuator is movable rod 338 a, whichexpands and contracts. Support arm 337 is attached to support rod 314.End pin 337 a of the movable rod 338 a is connected to the end of thesupport arm 337 so that the support arm can rotate around the pin.

In FIG. 18, when actuator 338 drives it, the extended movable arm 338 acontracts, and support rod 314 rotates clockwise. When support rod 314rotates clockwise in FIG. 16, guide rails 304 and racks 331, which werestowed horizontally, rotate clockwise with hole 334 c as their rotaryshaft until they are vertical.

A detailed view of the gear shaft 316 and gears 317 shown in FIG. 9 ispresented in FIG. 17. Gears 317 are arranged on gear shaft 316 in twolocations which are a specified distance apart. Racks 331, 331 whichengage with gears 317, 317 are placed in two locations on guide rail304.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged view of segment E in FIG. 8(b). Motor 306 isplaced in drive source 303. Gear unit 307 consists of gear 306 a, whichis fixed to the rotary shaft of the motor; intermediate gear 340; andgears 341 and 342. Chains 320, 320 are hung between sprockets 343 and344, which are coaxial with the rotary shafts of gears 341 and 342, andsprockets 319 near the rack.

The rotary drive force generated by motor 306 is transmitted tosprockets 319, 319 by chains 320. Gear shaft 316 is made to rotate, andelevator gears 317 rotate. When elevator gears 317 descend, elevator 315also descends, and the containers 313 loaded on the elevator descendalong with it.

As has been explained above, the fourth preferred embodiment has a drivesource and gears connected to the drive source on the elevator. Thecargo cabin is divided by partitions, within which are stowed a guidedevice to drive the elevator and racks which engage with the gears.Before the elevator is driven, the mechanisms related to its movement,including the device to guide the elevator and the racks which engagewith the gears, are deployed into the area traveled by the elevator.When the elevator is not in service, the mechanisms are stowed in thepartition. There are no mechanical parts in the cargo cabin, so thepersonnel can have a safer work environment.

FIG. 22 and FIG. 23 illustrate the fifth preferred embodiment. FIG. 22is a rough sketch of cross section of the passenger aircraft accordingto the fifth preferred embodiment, and FIG. 23 is a perspective drawingof the elevator according to the fifth preferred embodiment.

The interior of the fuselage 400 is divided into a plurality of cabins,upper passenger cabin 410, lower passenger cabin 421, and cargo cabin411 by the horizontal partitions 414, 415, and 416.

As shown in FIG. 24, lower passenger cabin 421 is accessible throughpassenger hatchway 501. Cargo cabin 411 is accessible through cargohatchway 423 (cargo entrance) by opening cargo door 412 for bringing thecargo in and out.

On the lower cabin floor 426 of lower passenger cabin 421, there is agalley service space 419 in which drinks are warmed up and special foodmenus are prepared for the passengers. The galley service space 419 islocated in the passenger cabin which is accessible by the passengers.The galley service spaces are provided on the lower cabin floor 426 atboth sides of the walkway in the aircraft, which is located at the frontpart of the aircraft.

In the galley service space 419, there are two open spaces as shown inFIG. 23, the first space is for galley unit 409 at the upper portion ofgalley partition 407 in which a microwave for heating and a refrigeratorare provided, the second space is for wagon container parking space 417at the lower portion of galley partition to park the wagon container 401for wagons, which is elevated up and down.

The wagon container parking space 417 has an opening on the lower cabinfloor 426 through which the cargo cabin 411 is connected. Cargo cabin411 is located under the lower passenger cabin. In wagon containerparking space 417, wagon container 401 can be provided which loads aplurality of wagons 413. Wagon container 401 can be elevated up anddown, and it stops on the floor of cargo cabin 411.

The following is an explanation of the drive mechanism for wagoncontainer 401. At the 4 corners of upper portion 401 a of wagoncontainer 401, 4 ropes are fixed which are 404 a, 404 b, 404 c and 404d. Near the upper portion 401 a, 4 rollers are provided, roller 402 afor rolling rope 404 a, roller 402 b for rolling rope 404 b, roller 402c for rolling rope 404 c, and roller 402 d for rolling rope 404 d.

In the upper passenger cabin above the rollers 403 a and 403 b, motor406 is provided and bobbins 431 a and 431 b are fixed at both sides ofthe rotation shaft of motor 406.

The bobbins 431 a and 431 b have two winding sections to wind up the tworopes, which are provided side by side. Bobbin 431 a connects with theends of rope 404 a and 404 c. Bobbin 431 b connects with the ends ofrope 404 b and 404 d.

The other ends of rope 404 a, 404 b, 404 c and 404 d are connected withthe upper corner portions 401 a of wagon container 401 via 403 a and 402a, 403 b and 402 b, 403 a and 402 c, and 403 b and 402 d respectively.

With this configuration, if motor 406 winds up or lets out the rope 404,they elevate up or down the wagon container 401 respectively.

Wagons 413 can be delivered-out from galley service space 419 to cargocabin 411 by loading the wagons into wagon container 401 when it is inthe galley service space and lowing the wagon container 401 by reversingthe rotation of motor 406 down to the cargo cabin 411. The wagons 413are then delivered-out through cargo hatchway 423. It is also possibleto deliver-in the new wagons 413 loaded with the necessary items togalley service space 419 from cargo hatchway 423 by loading the newwagons in wagon container 401.

According to the fifth preferred embodiment mentioned above, it is nolonger necessary to deliver the wagons 413 in and out from the galleyservice space to the exterior of the aircraft through the passengerfloor. It is possible to deliver the wagons 413 in and out by the wagoncontainer from the galley service space to the exterior. Since thewagons 413 can be delivered in and out through cargo hatchway 423 ofcargo cabin 411, it is possible to deliver the wagons during the timepassengers are getting off the aircraft. It is, therefore, no longernecessary to exchange the new and old wagons after the passengers leavethe aircraft as a conventional way, and it can be processed during thetime passengers are deplaning. This can shorten the parking time of theaircraft, and more flights can be scheduled in the same length of time.This can shorten the waiting time of the passengers, and also improvethe profitability of the airlines and convenience of the passengers.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

As mentioned above, the aircraft of this invention provided withmulti-level cabins functioning as a cargo cabin or passenger cabin isdistinguished by the configuration which comprises, a first cabinprovided with a cargo hatchway which is opened and closed by a cargodoor on a fuselage, the cargo door facing towards the cargo cabin; asecond cabin which lacks the cargo hatchway, the second cabin beingpositioned directly above or under the first cabin; and an elevator toconvey a cargo item, moved into the first cabin through the cargohatchway, to the second cabin, and to convey back the conveyed cargoitem from the second cabin to the first cabin, thereby the cargo item ismoved between the exterior of the aircraft and the second cabin.

It is, therefore, possible in this aircraft according to this invention,to move the cargo items into and from the aircraft through the existingcargo hatchway (hatchway used only for cargos). Since the elevator canmove the cargo items between the first cabin provided with a cargohatchway which is opened and closed by a cargo door on a fuselage, andthe second cabin which lacks said cargo hatchway, it obviates the needto provide a new cargo hatchway which lowers the strength of thefuselage. The number of cargo hatchways and doors can be reduced withoutaffecting the ability to load and unload cargo on every level. Thisarrangement lowers the cost of the aircraft.

When a passenger aircraft is being converted to a cargo aircraft, thisarrangement makes it unnecessary to add on any new hatchways and doorsbeyond what the plane originally had. This significantly reduces boththe number of processes required to remodel the plane and the cost ofremodeling it.

More specifically, this invention allows us to provide a cargo hatchwayclosed by a door in the lowest cargo cabin only. Cargo can then beloaded into the plane through the cargo hatchway and then movedvertically within the plane to the upper cargo cabins by means of anelevator. This obviates the need to provide cargo hatchways closed bydoors in both the upper and lower cargo cabins, as was the case in theprior art. Cargo to be stowed in both the lower and upper cargo cabinscan be loaded and unloaded via a single cargo hatchway.

Since cargo doors must be of the same thickness and made of the samematerials as the fuselage, they are extremely massive. They must also berigorously sealed. This invention allows us to reduce the number of suchdoors to one or the minimum feasible number, thus reducing the number ofassembly processes required to construct the plane and the cost ofmaterials. Since in a three-level cargo plane the highest level willgenerally be ten meters off the ground, loading the cargo from outsidethe plane onto the central level and then transferring it by elevatorinside the plane will enhance the safety of the personnel employed inloading the cargo.

When a passenger aircraft is being converted into a cargo aircraft, theexisting cargo hatchway and door into the lower cargo cabin can be used.An elevator can be provided near the hatchway or elsewhere in the cabinon the lower level, and the cargo loaded through the existing cargohatchway can be moved vertically by means of the elevator. It can thusbe easily transported to the upper cargo cabin, so there is no need toprovide an additional hatchway with a door. This reduces both the numberof processes required to remodel the plane and the cost.

According to this invention, a galley service space is provided in thesecond cabin used as a passenger cabin, and the elevator conveys a wagoncontainer filled with wagon cargos between the galley service space andthe first cabin. With this elevator, the wagon cargos are moved in andout from the wagon container in the galley service space, and the wagoncontainer is conveyed between the exterior of the aircraft and thegalley service space. This configuration makes it possible to move thewagons through the cargo hatchway provided in the cargo cabin. It canmove the wagons to the galley service space in the second cabin by theelevator. It is no longer necessary to move the wagons on the passengerfloor as the prior art. It is, thus, possible to deliver the wagonsduring the time passengers are deplaning. It is, therefore, no longernecessary to exchange the new and old wagons after the passengers leavethe aircraft as a conventional way, and it can be processed during thetime passengers are deplaning. This can shorten the parking time of theaircraft, and more flights can be scheduled in the same length of time.This can shorten the waiting time of the passengers, and also improvethe profitability of the airlines and convenience of the passengers.Various other effects are also achieved.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cargo aircraft provided with multi-level cargocabins each being divided by at least one horizontal partition runningalong a length of a fuselage of said cargo aircraft, an upper most oneof the multi-level cargo cabins being formed by one of the at least onehorizontal partition and a ceiling of the fuselage, and a lower most oneof the multi-level cargo cabins being formed by one of the at least onehorizontal partition and a lower cabin floor of the fuselage, said cargoaircraft comprising: multi-level cargo cabins; at least one cargohatchway operable to be opened and closed by a cargo door, said cargodoor being provided on the fuselage at the lower most one of saidmulti-level cargo cabins; an elevator operable to convey a cargo itemvertically between said multi-level cargo cabins through an opening ofthe at least one horizontal partition, wherein the cargo item can beconveyed into one of said multi-level cargo cabins via said at least onecargo hatchway which is opened and closed by said cargo door; and ahorizontal conveyor provided on a floor of each of said multi-levelcargo cabins and being operable to convey the cargo item in a horizontaldirection, wherein said elevator faces said at least one cargo hatchwayand is operable to convey the cargo item vertically to the floor of eachof said multi-level cargo cabins, and wherein said horizontal conveyoris provided in a proximity of the opening for said elevator; whereinsaid elevator comprises: a cargo stage upon which the cargo item can beloaded and vertically conveyed, said cargo stage being operable to befolded down during a flight of said cargo aircraft so as to form a flatfloor which is the same level as a cabin floor; cross links beingconnected to a bottom of said cargo stage, and being verticallyexpandable; a hydraulic cylinder connected with lower ends of said crosslinks and being operable to expand or contract said cross links so as tomove said cargo stage vertically; and rollers provided on lower ends ofsaid cross links and which are free to rotate, wherein said rollers areoperable to run on rails oriented on a floor of the lower most one ofsaid multi-level cargo cabins to enable said elevator to movelength-wise.
 2. A cargo aircraft provided with multi-level cargo cabinseach being divided by at least one horizontal partition running along alength of a fuselage of said cargo aircraft, an upper most one of themulti-level cargo cabins being formed by one of the at least onehorizontal partition and a ceiling of the fuselage, and a lower most oneof the multi-level cargo cabins being formed by one of the at least onehorizontal partition and a lower cabin floor of the fuselage, said cargoaircraft comprising: multi-level cargo cabins; at least one cargohatchway operable to be opened and closed by a cargo door, said cargodoor being provided on the fuselage at the lower most one of saidmulti-level cargo cabins; an elevator operable to convey a cargo itemvertically between said multi-level cargo cabins through an opening ofthe at least one horizontal partition, wherein the cargo item can beconveyed into one of said multi-level cargo cabins via said at least onecargo hatchway which is opened and closed by said cargo door; and ahorizontal conveyor provided on a floor of each of said multi-levelcargo cabins and being operable to convey the cargo item in a horizontaldirection, wherein said elevator faces said at least one cargo hatchwayand is operable to convey the cargo item vertically to the floor of eachof said multi-level cargo cabins, and wherein said horizontal conveyoris provided in a proximity of the opening for said elevator; whereinsaid multi-level cargo cabins comprise said lower-most cargo cabin, acentral cargo cabin, and said upper most cargo cabin, and wherein saidelevator comprises: a cargo stage upon which the cargo item can beloaded and vertically conveyed; a plurality of ropes connected to saidcargo stage and a plurality of pulleys from which said plurality ofropes are hung, said plurality of ropes and pulleys being operable tovertically convey said cargo stage between said multi-level cargocabins; and a drive mechanism connected to said plurality of ropes whichis operable to vertically convey said cargo stage by winding or lettingout said plurality of ropes, said drive mechanism being provided in thecentral cargo cabin.
 3. A cargo aircraft provided with multi-levelcabins each being divided by at least one horizontal partition runningalong a length of a fuselage of said cargo aircraft, an upper most oneof the multi-level cargo cabins being formed by one of the at least onehorizontal partition and a ceiling of the fuselage, and a lower most oneof the multi-level cargo cabins being formed by one of the at least onehorizontal partition and a lower cabin floor of the fuselage, said cargoaircraft comprising: multi-level cargo cabins; at least one cargohatchway operable to be opened and closed by a cargo door, said cargodoor being provided on the fuselage at the lower most one of saidmulti-level cargo cabins; an elevator operable to convey a cargo itemvertically between said multi-level cargo cabins through an opening ofthe at least one horizontal partition, wherein the cargo item can beconveyed into one of said multi-level cargo cabins via said at least onecargo hatchway which is opened and closed by said cargo door; and ahorizontal conveyor provided on a floor of each of said multi-levelcargo cabins and being operable to convey the cargo item in a horizontaldirection, wherein said elevator faces said at least one cargo hatchwayand is operable to convey the cargo item vertically to the floor of eachof said multi-level cargo cabins, and wherein said horizontal conveyoris provided in a proximity of the opening for said elevator; whereinsaid elevator comprises: a driving device operable to drive saidelevator and a gear to be driven by said driving device; a plurality ofracks which are operable to be interlocked with said gear, said racksbeing folded in a cabin floor of one of said multi-level cargo cabinsand being unfolded upwards from beneath the cabin floor in a verticaldirection before said elevator is activated and engaged with said gear;and guide rails upon which said plurality of racks are provided, saidguide rails operable to be stored in the cabin floor and to be taken outto support said plurality of racks.
 4. A cargo aircraft provided withmulti-level cargo cabins each being divided by at least one horizontalpartition running along a length of a fuselage of said cargo aircraft,an under most one of the multi-level cargo cabins being formed by one ofthe at least one horizontal partition and a ceiling of the fuselage, anda lower most one of the multi-level cargo cabins being formed by one ofthe at least one horizontal partition and a lower cabin floor of thefuselage, said cargo aircraft comprising: multi-level cargo cabins; atleast one cargo hatchway operable to be opened and closed by a cargodoor, said cargo door being provided on the fuselage at the lower mostone of said multi-level cargo cabins; an elevator operable to convey acargo item vertically between said multi-level cargo cabins through anopening of the at least one horizontal partition, wherein the cargo itemcan be conveyed into one of said multi-level cargo cabins via said atleast one cargo hatchway which is opened and closed by said cargo door;and a horizontal conveyor provided on a floor of each of saidmulti-level cargo cabins and being operable to convey the cargo item ina horizontal direction, wherein said elevator faces said at least onecargo hatchway and is operable to convey the cargo item vertically tothe floor of each of said multi-level cargo cabins, and wherein saidhorizontal conveyor is provided in a proximity of the opening for saidelevator; wherein said aircraft comprises: a lower most cargo cabin, anupper most cargo cabin, and a central cabin which does not function as acargo cabin, wherein a galley service space is provided in said centralcabin which is used as a passenger cabin, and wherein said elevator isoperable to convey wagons, which are to be used in said galley servicespace, in and out from said at least one cargo door provided on saidlower most cargo cabin simultaneously with disembarkation of passengers.